Working out how to stop your dog from barking can be a difficult and time consuming task.
Dogs love to bark. It's a perfectly natural thing for your dog to do, just as it's normal for us humans to speak.
It's when our dogs bark excessively that it becomes a problem for all concerned - including our cranky neighbors.
Considering this, our goal really isn't to stop dog barking altogether, but rather to control the excessive barking.
Keep in mind that there are situations when we want our dogs to bark (and I guess there are also times when I like my chatty aunty to speak!;)
The first step in modifying the behavior of an excessive barker is to determine the reason why the dog is barking in the first place. Once you've identified this cause or trigger, you can then plan the correct training solution.
Another thing to keep in mind is that even though it may appear to you that your dog is barking at nothing, this is not necessarily the case. This is due to the fact that your dog has a much more acute sense of hearing, smell and sight than us humans. Your dog's excessive barking is most probably being triggered by something.
Ok, now we've sorted out the reason for your dog's excessive barking, we just need to work out how to control the problem.
The most important piece of advice to remember when trying to modify any dog behavior problem, is that you must clearly communicate to your dog what is acceptable behavior and what is not.
One of the biggest mistakes us dog owners make is to inadvertently reward our dogs excessive barking. We actually encourage and reinforce the barking problem when we commit these three dog training sins: Yell and scream at the dog - this just gives them the attention they were crying out for. Plus your dog will most probably just think you are joining in with them, adding to the excitement. Let them inside. If your dog is barking his head off outside, then you let him in, this just rewards and therefore reinforces the barking.
This also applies to dogs who bark to be released from a crate or bark to make you get up and prepare their dinner! If your dog is barking and you react by giving him a comforting cuddle or a treat of some sort, you are definitely encouraging your dog to bark again. By doing this you are communicating to your dog that you are happy with him. You should be making it clear that his excessive barking is inappropriate and won't be tolerated.
Right, lets get stuck into some proven dog training techniques to help stop your dog from barking. I've listed the most common reasons why your dog may be barking, and added some proven solutions you can try to alleviate the problem.
This is a very common and annoying time for dogs to bark excessively. Try these training techniques: I'm not going to pretend this type of barking will be easy for you to control, because in reality it is often a difficult and lengthy process
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Always remember that dogs are social creatures, when they are separated from their pack (you) they can become stressed, vulnerable and frustrated. This type of excessive barking is often caused by separation anxiety. This is one excessive barking problem that can be corrected very quickly. Workers such as the Postman or a delivery driver are constantly being barked at and harassed throughout their day.
Your dog perceives these type of people as intruders or a threat to their territory. When your dog barks in this situation he is rewarded every time, as the intruder goes away. Your dog is then very pleased that he has averted this "threat", which leads him to do it again and again. His behavior is reinforced and therefore can be a very difficult problem to extinguish. In extreme cases of excessive barking, where all else has failed, some people advocate debarking surgery. I've never needed to go down this path with any of my dogs, and don't think I ever would. But if you have come to the end of the line and think you have run out of options, you could discuss debarking surgery with your Veterinarian. Hopefully your Vet will come up with some other options before taking this drastic step.
Proper dog obedience training is the key to solving any behavioral problems (including stopping your dog from barking), and also to building a strong bond with your dog.
Train your dog at home with this comprehensive dog training course - dogproblems.com. It's a fantastic community of dog lovers who strive to raise and train their dogs in a positive, reward based and non-violent manner.
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